


Making It Count

by Jazzfordshire



Series: to make each day count (Titanic AU) [2]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: 1920s, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Established Relationship, Everyone is gay because this is MY canon, F/F, Minor Alex Danvers/Maggie Sawyer, Minor Jimmy Olsen/Winn Schott Jr, Minor Lucy/Jess, No dead wlw on this boat, Titanic AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-04-06
Packaged: 2019-03-04 07:28:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13359411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jazzfordshire/pseuds/Jazzfordshire
Summary: “We’ll be home soon.”“I’m always home, with you.” Lena says quietly, and Kara’s brilliant, surprised smile is everything she needs. She leans her head on Kara’s shoulder. It's true - she's never felt like she belonged anywhere, before this. Now, she knows that she belongs right here.The warmth of that home stays with her until she falls asleep, safe in Kara’s arms."ORThe disaster is over, but Kara and Lena have a lot of living to do after the Titanic sinks. A chronicle of their lives together, from 1912 onward.





	1. Meet the Parents

**Author's Note:**

> And it begins! The slightly-awaited continuation of my Titanic AU. I have about 30 chapters planned, so it'll be going for a while. Kara and Lena alive and in love in the 1920s is everything to me, so I hope you enjoy it! It's going to be mostly sequential, but in case I get a prompt that asks for a flashback I'm going to be putting the date at the top of each chapter.
> 
> I definitely recommend reading To Make It Count first for background, but I suppose if you know the plot of Titanic you can get the gist of it.

**May, 1912**

Lena jolts awake as a whistle sounds outside the rattling window. For a second, she forgets where she is; she takes in the landscape – snowy, despite it being late spring – and Alex and Maggie sleeping in the seat across from her. Kara’s head shifts on her shoulder. Outside, a sign flashes by: ‘Welcome to Wisconsin’.

_Right. The train._

They’re headed to Midvale to meet Eliza Danvers, and Lena is terrified.

Alex and Kara sent their mother a letter as soon as they got to New York, telling her they had arrived in the States again, and Eliza had sent back an excited note with some money for train tickets, asking that they visit as soon as they had time. Kara had bought their tickets the next day. Alex mentioned Lena and Maggie in the letter, but Lena is still nervous that Eliza will feel inconvenienced by her being there, or might not like her, or worst of all, might think that Kara deserves better.

Lena is fresh from a life where she was discouraged from learning how to take care of herself, and Kara and Jess are still teaching her little things about living below the poverty line – how to cook and eat on a budget, how to clean and do laundry, how to buy things by herself, even. Kara is sweet and endlessly patient and Jess is a great teacher, and Lena is trying her best to learn fast and figure things out by herself (and honestly, she actually enjoys doing these things herself instead of relying on servants),but she still feels distinctly useless. After growing up with a mother who criticized her every move, she can’t help but worry.

_What will she think of me?_

Lena stares out the window, not noticing that she’s bouncing her leg incessantly.

“Nervous?”

Lena jumps. Alex is awake, and looking at her in amusement.

“No! No, I’m just…” Lena stammers, and Alex gives her a piercing stare, one eyebrow raised.

Lena deflates. “Okay, yes. I’m nervous. I don’t have a great track record with mothers. Mine died when I was four, and Lillian and Rhea both hated me.”

“My mother won’t hate you, Lena. She’s a nurse, as soon as she sees how smart you are she’s going to love you. Besides, she loves us, and so anyone we bring home is loved by association.”

It isn’t that Lena doesn’t believe Alex – it’s more that she has no idea what to expect.

Sensing Lena’s reticence, Alex keeps talking. “If it helps, Maggie is pretty nervous, too. I don’t think she’s ever met a girlfriend’s parents before. Especially this soon.”

“Is it too soon?” Lena mutters to herself, frowning. She feels like she has a different idea of the pace a relationship is supposed to go. Her trysts with women had always been secretive and rapid, and her arranged engagement with Mon-El had happened almost overnight – she was being paraded on his arm only a few days after they properly met for the first time. Now, with Kara, it just feels natural – there’s no doubt that they’re dedicated to each other. But for the first time, Lena thinks about how it must look on the outside – she’s meeting Kara’s mother after knowing her for just over three weeks.

As the thoughts crowd her head, she can’t help but ask.

“…Alex? How long is normal?”

“Well, Eliza has only ever met one person Kara has dated. And that was a long time ago.”

“…really?” Kara must have dated a lot of people, or at least so Lena assumes. She’s wonderful – had she really only brought one person home?

Alex nods. “Yeah. I don’t think she’s ever really been serious about anyone, before she met you. I mean, she’s had flings, and a few longer relationships, but she never really got invested. That’s why I was so surprised when she said she was in love with you after a day and a half.”

Lena blushes, looking fondly at Kara’s sleeping face with a smile. “She told you that?”

“Yeah. I thought she was crazy. You must be on a whole other level.” 

Lena laughs. “I don’t think so.”

“I see the way she looks at you, Lena. And, I don’t think you’re so bad either.”

Lena gasps dramatically. “Alex Danvers, are you admitting that you _like_ me?”

“Yeah, well. It’s a one-time thing, so enjoy it, _Dawson_.”

Lena feels warm at the use of her new chosen name. No more Luthor. Never again.

“Well, what about you and Maggie? You’ve known each other for, what, two days more than Kara and I?” Lena teases, feeling a sudden affection for Kara’s sister as she sputters indignantly.

“That…that’s none of your – you know what, I take it back. You’re the worst.”

Lena laughs as Alex kicks out at her from across the seat, jostling Maggie out of her nap. Maggie grumbles and hides her face in Alex’s shoulder until she stills again. Kara sleeps on, oblivious.

The conversation makes her feel better, but she’s still unspeakably nervous. Alex and Kara talk with great affection about Eliza, but she can’t help but picture Lillian waiting for them on the train platform. Kara is too excited for Lena to try to bother her with her nervous feelings – she’s pointing enthusiastically at things as they pull into the train station, talking to Alex about their childhood memories.

She practically carries Lena off the train and onto the platform in her eagerness – she reminds Lena of an excited golden retriever. The similarity only gets more pronounced when she sees Eliza, and she runs bounding towards her to crash into her arms. Alex walks at a more moderate pace, shaking her head fondly.

Eliza – at least, what Lena can see of her that isn’t concealed by Kara – is a distinguished-looking blonde woman in her mid-fifties with a surprisingly kind face. Like Lillian, she’s still very beautiful, but instead of Lillian’s cold severity she actually looks human -  Lena can see the similarity to Alex in her features, but her smile is closer to Kara’s, despite the lack of blood relation. She has laugh lines and warm eyes and naturally grey-streaked hair. She holds Kara close, laughing at whatever is being rambled in her ear, and reaches towards Alex to beckon her to join the hug. She does, and Lena hangs behind, listening.

“Oh, my girls, my beautiful girls, back from their world travels to see their little old mother!” Eliza kisses each of their cheeks, and Alex laughs.

“Mom, you aren’t that old.”

“I certainly feel old knowing that my daughters are bringing home girlfriends for me to meet!”

Lena starts to fidget, and Maggie sighs before grabbing her arm and pulling her forward. She leans close and mutters in Lena’s ear.

“Come on, Lena - if I have to do this, so do you.”

Kara finally releases Eliza and grabs Lena’s free hand, pulling her excitedly forward. “Eliza, this is Lena.” Before Lena can so much as hold out a hand to shake, Eliza opens her arms and Lena is pulled into a gentle hug.

“It’s wonderful to meet you, Lena. Kara wasn’t exaggerating when she talked about how lovely you are.” Lena blushes furiously, unsure how to respond.

“I – uh, thank you, Mrs. Danvers.”

“Oh goodness, call me Eliza, please! Mrs. Danvers is much too formal for family.”

Lena gapes for a second at that – _family? We just met_ \- but she’s saved by Alex pushing a nervous-looking Maggie forward. “This is Maggie, Mom.”

“And Maggie, the girl who stole Alex’s heart. You must be a real gem to have kept her around for long enough to meet me - you know, I thought she’d never settle down.”

As Eliza leads them to the car, Lena can hear Maggie hissing in Alex’s ear.

“You didn’t tell your Mom _when_ we met?”

“She doesn’t even know we were on the Titanic! I figured we’d drop one bomb at a time, here.”

“Alex – “

“Mags, it’s okay. She’s not going to care how long ago we met. I promise.” Maggie sighs, nodding. Lena echoes Maggie’s worries – Eliza has been disconcertingly kind so far, but she’s still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

The disarming niceness continues on the drive to the house, as Eliza tuts at the fact that none of them have any luggage.

When they arrive, Eliza insists on making tea for everyone, and they all settle in the sitting room. Lena can feel that even Kara is getting stiff and nervous at the prospect of telling Eliza the events of the last month.

As they sip their drinks, Eliza fusses over Alex – “You look so thin, have you been eating properly?” “I just…had to spend a few weeks taking it easy, after we got here. It’s fine, Mom.” – until she finally asks the question they’ve all been waiting for.

“I can’t believe you girls didn’t even bring any extra clothes with you. Where are all your things?”

Kara swallows hard. She starts to fidget, and Lena laces their fingers together and squeezes comfortingly. “Well, uh, this is all we have. Half this stuff is borrowed from Clark and Lois.”

“Didn’t you bring anything onto the ship with you?”

Kara nods. “We did. But it’s…gone.”

“What do you mean?” Eliza looks confused, looking between Kara and Alex.

Kara takes a deep breath. “Um. Okay. Do you remember a few weeks ago, hearing about the Titanic?”

Eliza’s face turns serious. “Of course, the ship that sank coming over from England. All those people…”

Lena’s hand twitches. _Darkness, cold, screaming, panic._ She shakes her head, focusing on Kara’s grip on her hand instead. _I’m fine. I’m okay._

Kara rubs her thumb over the back of Lena’s hand. “Yeah. That was, uh…we were…” Eliza is looking more and more alarmed as Kara fumbles with her words. “That was our ride. Our stuff sank.”

There’s a moment of loaded silence. Eliza’s face goes from curiosity, to shock, to mild horror.

“You were on the Titanic?” Her voice is quiet, wavering. “You – over a thousand people died. I read in the Tribune, the lifeboats –“

Thanks to Cat Grant commandeering the Carpathia’s radio, Catco had been the first to report the accurate numbers of the disaster. Clearly, Eliza was a subscriber.

Kara nods, her leg bouncing nervously. “Yeah. 1500, actually. We…got lucky.”

Eliza stands, pulling Alex and Kara both closer with shaking hands. “You both got onto lifeboats?”

Kara shrugs. “Well, Alex and Maggie did.” Alex elbows her, and Kara winces.

Eliza’s eyes widen in alarm. “What? You didn’t – you were – how did you –“

Kara cuts in before Eliza can finish.

“Lena saved me.”

All eyes turn to her, and Lena shakes her head, alarmed at the sudden spotlight. “I didn’t, Kara. You were the one that found that piece of wood.”

“And I would have stayed in the water if you didn’t think of that thing with the lifebelt. And you kept me conscious; you wouldn’t let me fall asleep. I’d be dead without you.”

“You pulled me back over in the first place, that first night. If you didn’t follow me, I would have –“ Lena’s voice cracks, and she quickly hides her face in her hands to cover her loss of composure. The memories are coming back – the desolation, the cold, the fear. She feels them rising inside her like a tide. Kara takes Lena's face between her hands, and the warmth cuts through the bad thoughts. “Lena, breathe. Look at me.” Lena does, her eyes blurry with tears. She feels a warm hand rubbing her back.

“Lena, we’re okay. We’re both okay.” Lena nods, and tries to breathe evenly. Kara leads her in taking deep breaths until she’s calmed down enough to feel the burn of embarrassment.

The hand on her back turns out to belong to Eliza, who is looking at her with all the warmth and motherly concern that Lillian never had.

“I’m okay. I’m sorry for…doing that.” Lena accepts the glass of water that Alex hands her, taking a shaky drink.

“Honey, don’t apologize. What you four have been through…” Eliza trails off, her own eyes wet. “I can’t imagine – how on earth did you two get separated?” she turns back to Alex, who tenses.

“Um. Well, Kara was with Lena, and she…” Alex trails off, looking at Kara helplessly.

“See, this is why we wanted to tell you in person.” Kara takes a deep breath, squeezing Lena’s hand. “We…okay. I got framed and arrested and locked in the brig, and Lena had to come break me out. And Alex...was shot. Maggie had to get her to a lifeboat with a doctor as soon as she could.” Kara finishes, and her face scrunches up, bracing for the impact. 

“Alex was _what?”_

Eliza moves quickly towards Alex, patting her face and shoulders as if to make sure she’s actually there. Alex sighs, and moves her shirt to reveal the still-healing red scar on her shoulder.

“I’m fine, Mom. I promise. Maggie yelled at the guard until he let me onto a lifeboat.”

Maggie goes slightly red. “I – well, I mean, I had help.”

Eliza looks from Lena to Maggie and back a few times, both of whom are looking extremely uncomfortable.

“So…you’re telling me…” Eliza starts, her voice shaking with emotion. Lena braces herself, closing her eyes. _Here it is. I separated them and she hates me and Kara is going to realize that I’m not worth it_.

“You’re telling me that you two… _saved_ my daughters.”

Blinking in surprise, Lena looks up at Eliza.

“I…I wouldn’t…say that, exactly.” Lena stutters, looking at Kara for help. Kara just smiles at her, shaking her head.

“You did, Lena.”

“We wouldn’t be here without them.” Alex nods in agreement, her thumb rubbing over the back of Maggie’s hand soothingly.

Before Lena can blink, she and Maggie are pulled from their respective seats and into a tight, comforting hug. Lena can feel Eliza’s tears on her shoulder.

“Thank you,” Eliza says with quiet ferocity. “Thank you.”

 

Eliza insists on hearing the whole story, after that, and Lena curls herself into Kara’s side as she relays what happened that night. She tries not to focus on the words, instead soothing herself with the way Kara’s voice buzzes evenly when Lena lays her head on her chest. Kara’s arm is tight around her, and when Kara finishes and Alex starts to tell her side, she pulls her even closer. Maggie, in her relaxed way, fills in the blanks where Alex was unconscious, but Lena stays quiet.

Eliza expresses surprise at Cat Grant’s intervention, but ultimately isn’t surprised that she seemed to like Kara.

“You’ve always been a charmer, Kara. As I’m sure Lena can attest.” Lena smiles tightly, still trying to repress the swirling anxiety in her gut.

_She loves Maggie already. She must think I’m a complete brat._

Finally Eliza bustles to the kitchen to start dinner, wiping at her eyes.

“She needs a minute alone, I think.” Kara whispers. “It’s a lot of news to process.” 

Sure enough, Eliza is in a more cheerful mood as everyone tucks into the food she made, although she reaches to touch Kara and Alex much more than strictly necessary. They both seem to actually lean into the touch – perhaps they need the comfort, too.

“So, Kara, tell me how you two met. I’ve never seen you so happy before – you’re practically glowing.” Eliza says, stroking Kara’s blushing face affectionately.

Kara laughs nervously, fidgeting with her glasses. “We, uh. We met on the Titanic, actually.”

Eliza looks a bit surprised. “You met…on the ship? How long have you known each other?”

Coming from anyone else, Lena would probably take her words as a judgement or aspersion, but Eliza just seems to be amused.

“Um. Three weeks?”

Eliza chuckles. “And what did Alex and Maggie think of your whirlwind romance?” She winks at Lena, and Lena relaxes a bit.

_She doesn’t disapprove. She doesn’t disapprove. It’s fine._

Maggie quickly shoves a large bite of food into her mouth, looking at Alex apologetically as she glares.

“Well, Mom, um. I thought Kara was being crazy, to be honest – OW!”

Alex glares at Kara, and Lena can assume that Kara has kicked her under the table.

“Fine. Maggie and I met on the Titanic as well.”

There’s a moment of surprised silence.

“So, you’re telling me that both of my daughters – who, before now, have been so wary of commitment as to spend their twenties traveling the world – brought girls home to meet me after three weeks?”

“Yes?”

After a moment, Eliza bursts into delighted laughter. She raises her wine glass, winking at Lena. “You two must be something very, very special.”

Lena lets out a relieved breath. Eliza is so genuine, so relaxed – she can see where Kara gets it.

_I didn’t think that mothers like this actually existed._

Eliza does get excited when she finds out that Lena is a scientist, and asks her excited questions about her interests and her old application to Oxford. She encourages Kara to pursue the job opportunity with Cat Grant, and when she asks Alex about her plans now that she’s back home, Alex perks up slightly.

“I think I’m going to go to medical school.”

Kara gapes. “Alex, you didn’t tell me you wanted to be a doctor!”

“I didn’t tell anyone, until Maggie. I didn’t think it was a realistic dream.” Alex shrugs, and Maggie smiles proudly. “But after everything…I don’t see the point in not trying, you know? I’d rather try and fail than not try at all.”

Eliza wipes at her eyes again, clasping Alex’s hand. “Oh, honey, I’m so proud of you. You’re going to be _amazing_. If you ever need any help -”

“I know. Thanks, Mom.”

 

After dinner Eliza, Alex, and Maggie settle in for more wine and some board games. Kara, however, asks Lena if she wants to go for a walk. Lena readily agrees, borrowing a coat from Eliza and looping her arm through Kara’s.

As they walk through Midvale, Kara leads them on a winding path and points out 'interesting' places that get more and more mundane until, finally, Lena asks.

“Kara, why did you really bring me out here?”

Kara is silent for a moment. She points to a dark arch across the road, with a wide, fenced-in field behind it. All at once, Lena understands.

_The cemetery._

Kara pushes the gate open and leads her slowly through well-maintained paths until they reach two large headstones. Fresh flowers are sitting between the graves, the hedges on either side trimmed neatly. Kara is squeezing Lena’s hand so tightly that she’s lost all feeling in it, but she ignores the discomfort. When she speaks, Kara’s voice comes out thick and quiet.

“I wanted you to meet them. While we’re here.”

Lena keeps her voice hushed, as well. “Of course.” They stand silently for a few moments.

“Your mother’s name was Alura?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s beautiful.”

Kara nods, reaching out and gently tracing the letters before letting her hand fall.

“We actually lived a few towns over, but Eliza arranged for them to be buried here so I could visit. But I didn’t come here very often. I don’t – I’ve never connected with this place. It just reminds me that they’re gone.”

Lena nods, rubbing Kara’s arm gently, and she continues. “I just…I thought that maybe if I brought you here…”

“I’m glad you brought me.”

After a few more moments standing by the graves, Kara leads her to a nearby bench and they sit, huddled together against the early May cold.  

Kara keeps talking in a quiet voice. “People always told me that they’re in a better place. That they’re watching over me. But I never felt that, not really. I sort of resigned myself to the idea that they were gone forever. But that night, when we were – I thought I was going to die. I think, maybe…I don’t know.” Kara trails off, huffing. Her breath fogs in the chilly air.

“Tell me.” Lena kisses Kara’s shoulder, shifting closer.

“I don’t know. There was a moment where I felt like I was about to…let go.” Lena’s grip tightens as she considers that possibility. “But I thought I saw my mother. Or, heard her? I don’t know. It was all so hazy. And then I felt…something. And then I saw you, and you talked me through.” Kara sighs. “Does that sound crazy?”

“Not at all. A lot of people say that they saw things they couldn’t explain when they were near death.”

“Well, what do you think?”

“I think…that you saw what you saw. I don’t think there’s any way to know for sure. I just know that whether it was real or not, it brought you back to me, and I’m grateful.”

Kara nods, seeming satisfied with that answer. Eventually Kara feels Lena shiver, and pulls them to their feet.

“Let’s go home.”

As they walk hand in hand, Kara still seems thoughtful.

“Kara?”

“Hmm?” Kara kicks at a stone on the road, and it skitters onto the grass.

“Would you like to tell me about them?”

Kara’s pace slows, and she smiles at Lena – a heartbreaking thing, sadness and surprise and relief all at once.

“Kara?” Lena says, squeezing her hand. "I - you don't have to, if you don't want to. I just -"

“No, I do. It's just...nobody has ever asked me that. Not even Alex.”

Lena frowns. “You’ve never talked to anyone about them?”

“Not really. I always thought that Alex and Eliza would think I wasn’t grateful if I did. And I think they thought I didn’t want to talk about them at all.”

“Talk to me.”

The rest of the walk home is spent in conversation. Kara reveals more and more of herself with every story told, relaying all her good memories of her parents as well as some of the bad ones. Lena sees the picture of who Kara is filling in slowly as she talks about her mother’s sense of justice, her father’s sense of humour, how they loved to sing and encouraged her to take up drawing. By the time they get back, Kara is beaming, and Lena feels like she’s done something right.

When they get back to the house they join the others in a few games of Parcheesi, before everyone retires to bed. Kara leads her up the stairs to her childhood bedroom, and as she turns the electric light on, the book of Kara’s life opens a little wider.

The walls are covered in paper. Most are drawings, of varying levels of skill. A few feature Alex and Eliza and a man with a kind face that she can only assume is Jerimiah. The ones closest to her bed are of two kind-looking middle-aged people, probably Kara’s parents - she can see Kara in her mother's eyes, in the shape of her father's jaw. Others feature young people that Lena doesn’t recognize in candid scenarios. Each drawing is unique – a pretty teenage girl leaning against a tree, a boy with a patchy beard and a nice smile throwing a baseball, an attractive woman in her late 20s with glasses and a firm stare sitting behind a desk.

“Your first affairs?” Lena says cheekily. None of the drawings are even remotely racy, but Kara flushes anyways, and snorts.

“My first crushes, maybe. Very much unrequited, all of them.”

“Was this one of your teachers?” Lena points to the stern older woman, noting her familiar features – intense eyes, strong jaw, dark hair. “I think you have a type, darling.”

Kara laughs, nodding, and then inexplicably starts to laugh harder.

“What?” Lena asks, bemused. _It wasn’t that funny._

“It’s just – I hadn’t thought, but – she was my first real crush, when I was 14. She was my English teacher, and uh. She was Irish.”

After a pause, Lena dissolves into giggles, and Kara follows suit.

“You’ve got to be kidding.” Lena gasps, her own accent coming through in her amusement.

“I guess I was just waiting for you.” Kara says, winking. Lena snorts, and goes back to investigating the walls.

An entire section of wall near the window features images of numerous national monuments and pages torn from travel books. A world map decorates the back of the door, with various cities circled in red – Lena examines it. Paris. London. Dublin. Amsterdam. Berlin. Rome.  

“You really wanted to travel, didn’t you?” Lena teases, gesturing to the mishmash of photographs, magazine clippings, news articles, and what look to be textbook pages that wallpaper the area.

“I did, yeah. I found a travel book at the library when I was 16. Jerimiah used to bring me magazines with pictures from overseas.”

“Clearly, you got your dream.” Lena murmurs. When she was 16, she had been in Finishing School. Her mother had caught her kissing a female classmate that year, and had her whipped like a servant. She had known so little about the world that she didn’t even know what to dream about, except that she wanted to get away.

Kara embraces her from behind, setting her chin on Lena’s shoulder. “Well, I always dreamed about meeting someone who made me feel the way my parents told me love should feel. I definitely got that dream.”

“And what did they tell you about love?”

“That it should be work, but work that you want to do. That it should exhilarate and sustain you, make you feel safe and warm but challenge you when you need it to. That your partner should be your friend as well as your lover. That love alone is strong, but you need to choose to nurture it and fight for it, and keep choosing, over and over, every day for the rest of your lives. And I choose you.”

For a moment, Lena is awestruck. She’s glad that Kara is behind her, because if she was looking into Kara’s eyes, she knows that she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from crying. She hadn’t been expecting such a heartfelt speech. She takes a moment to collect herself before she replies.

“The only thing my parents taught me about love was that they didn’t feel it for me.” Lena says thickly. “Mother told me that love was fleeting. A waste of time. And then I met you.”

She turns in Kara’s arms, and immediately Kara’s lips are on hers in a gentle but insistent kiss. It turns heated when Kara’s tongue swipes her lower lip, and Lena loses herself in it for a moment – but only a moment. Soon enough, she pulls back reluctantly.

“Kara…we’re at your mother’s house.”

Kara moves Lena’s hair to the side and Lena arches her neck instinctively, seeking Kara’s lips even when her conscience is screaming at her to stop.

“She knows we’re adults. She won’t care, and besides, her room is downstairs.”

“Someone could still hear.”

“Lucy and Jess were in the next room over last week, and you didn’t mind then.”

Lena flushes. It's true, but this is _different._

“Well, this is your mother, Kara, it’s…it’s not the same thing…” Lena starts to lose her train of thought as Kara’s teeth scrape her throat. Kara hums, and Lena feels the vibrations on her skin. Her body thrums as Kara touches her – it’s true that they haven’t had any privacy since they arrived in New York. Each couple takes turns sleeping in the double bed in Clark and Lois’ spare room – Lucy was quick to claim sleeping with Jess, so Winn and James usually bunk together - with the rest of their nights spent on the apartment floor and couch. Everyone is looking for apartments of their own, but they all need jobs first, and ever since the horrific experience of Lucy catching them at it in the communal space, Lena refuses to even _think_ about touching Kara out in the open of the den.

Hearing a muffled moan through the wall, she and Kara both stop and look at each other.

“See, Alex is taking advantage.” Kara grins, pulling Lena in for another kiss.

“Wouldn’t that sound usually scar you for life? Last time -” Lena says breathlessly as Kara pulls away slightly, huffing.

“Normally, yes. But when I haven’t touched you in almost two weeks, I’m willing to ignore it.”

Kara nips hard on Lena’s earlobe and finally, her resolve breaks. She’s already on fire for Kara, and if they have to stop now, she’s not sure she’d survive.

“You - you need to make sure I stay quiet. If your mother hears us, I’m going to _die_.”

“Are you saying you want me to gag you?”

Lena makes a choked noise and blushes from her chest up, pulling Kara’s head from her neck.

“Am I – what? No! I just – I meant put a hand over my mouth, or, or –“

“Or gag you.” Kara deadpans, pulling Lena towards the bed.

_“Kara Danvers –“_

The rest of her sentence is cut off by Kara’s lips, and she finally surrenders.

The next morning Kara has to wear a high-collared shirt she found in her old closet to hide the indents of Lena’s teeth, and Lena feels better than she has in weeks.

 

After breakfast, Kara, Alex, and Maggie decide to play football in the yard. It’s a game that Lena knows very little about – the football that she’s used to is quite different. It doesn’t help that they don’t seem to be playing by any set of rules. It seems to be more of an elaborate game of tackle keep-away, but Kara is running and laughing and getting grass stains all over her pants and it makes Lena smile to watch her.

She and Eliza settle in on the porch with cups of tea, watching them play and making idle conversation. Eliza can’t seem to keep her eyes off of Alex and Kara – as if she’s worried they’ll disappear if she closes her eyes.

_I can relate._

Eliza speaks softly. “I still have trouble thinking about the fact that I almost lost them. And I would never have known. Their tickets were under different names – they weren’t even on the manifest. Nobody would know what happened to them.” Eliza’s eyes water, and she wipes them, sighing. “As a mother, I always wanted them to chase their dreams. They wanted to travel. But I worried every day they were gone.” She reaches over to take Lena’s hand. “Thank you, Lena. Truly. You brought them back.”

Lena shakes her head, looking at the ground. She soaks up the comforting touch, but she still has trouble truly believing its sincerity. Lillian had occasionally had bouts of motherly affection, and every single time, it was because she needed something. She needed to use Lena. After a few times, Lena learned to protect herself, and those instincts flare up at Eliza’s gesture.

“I didn’t, really. Kara was the one who saved me.”

“Not the way Kara tells it.”

“Well, she’s biased.”

Eliza chuckles at that, her hand not leaving Lena’s. Against her instincts, Lena starts to find it soothing.

“Kara was so skittish when we first adopted her. She missed her parents. I’m sure she thought she was an inconvenience to us, but Jerimiah and I loved her from the moment she came here.” Eliza seems to be alluding to something, following Lena's downcast eyes with her own, but Lena isn't sure what. 

She fidgets slightly. 

“Can I ask what happened to your husband? Alex and Kara talk about him all the time, but…” Lena trails off. She's been wondering about Jerimiah for weeks - Alex and Kara do talk about him in passing quite often, but she's never had the heart to ask Kara to unearth more of her pain.

“An accident, at work. The girls were in California at the time. They came back for a few months, and then left for Europe.” Eliza sighs. “It hit Kara pretty hard, after losing her parents already. And he and Alex were so close.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Thank you, dear. I do miss him terribly, but he’s still with me.” Eliza pats her hand, and Lena flinches instinctively at the sudden movement. Eliza looks at her in concern for a moment, seeming sympathetic.

They sit quietly for a few minutes, sipping their tea and watching as Alex gleefully tackles Kara to the ground and sprints away with the ball, Maggie on her tail. Eliza serves tea in sturdy mugs, sweetened with honey, and Lena finds that it’s much more comforting than the performative tea-drinking of her upbringing, with its fragile china and processed sugar and flared pinkies.

“Lena, honey, can I ask you something?”

Lena's stomach drops, but she nods warily. “Of course, Mrs. – um. Eliza.”

“You seem…uncomfortable. You don’t need to tell me why, of course, but if there’s anything I can do to ease it, I’d love to know.”

Lena blinks a few times, surprised at the question.

“I – I’m sorry, I didn’t mean –“

“Oh, no, Lena, don’t apologize! I’m not upset. And when Kara is here I can see how happy she makes you, but sometimes you just look so…sad.”

Eliza rubs her back lightly, and looks so much like Kara in that moment that suddenly, Lena is spilling everything. Her childhood and the death of her mother, her adoption, her stiff upbringing, her mother and Lex, her forced engagement to Mon-El. A dam has broken, and Lena is powerless to stop the barrage as Eliza offers her gentle support. She’s told Kara a great deal of Lillian’s abuses, but she finds herself telling Eliza things that even Kara doesn’t know – some things that Lena herself hadn’t even remembered, until someone asked.

Eliza just listens. Finally Lena quiets, feeling the shame of unloading on an almost-stranger roll over her.

_I barely know her, and I told her everything._

Before Lena can retreat into herself Eliza speaks - her voice is soft, like she’s addressing a skittish animal.

“It was very brave, what you did – leaving your life and security for Kara. And as much as you try to downplay your role, Kara told me all about how you kept her going, that night. You’re very welcome in our family, Lena. I’ll tell you the same thing I always tell my girls – if you ever need anything, I’ll always be here for you.”

Lena bursts into tears.

She doesn’t even have the emotional strength to feel embarrassed, anymore. Eliza just pulls her into a hug, stroking her hair and rubbing her back as she sobs unabashedly into her shoulder. A few seconds later Kara is at her side, her cheeks flushed with exertion and a panicked expression on her face.

“Lena?! Eliza, what did you say to her? Lena, are you okay?”

Lena manages to pull her face from Eliza’s shoulder and wipe it, sniffling. Kara is in her space immediately, cupping her face and looking terribly concerned.

“It’s okay, Kara. She just…said something very nice. I wasn’t expecting it. You know what I’m used to, with mothers.”

“Oh! Oh, okay. Right. Uh – should we - ?”

“Go back to your game. I’m all right.” Lena soothes Kara with a kiss, and Kara reluctantly goes back to where Alex and Maggie are waiting. The game starts up again, with Kara getting tackled more and more easily as she tries to surreptitiously glance back at Lena every few seconds.

Lena wipes her face, and Eliza thankfully changes the subject. “I’ve never seen her like this with anyone.”

Lena frowns as she rubs at her eyes. “Alex said she brought someone home to meet you before?”

“Yes, but it wasn’t like this. They’d been seeing each other for over a year, and she wasn’t nearly this protective.”

“Well, we’ve been through a lot together.”

Eliza hums in agreement.

A few more moments of quiet pass before Lena speaks again.

“Eliza…thank you. For what you said, and for being so…so kind. I was worried about coming here, but I shouldn’t have been. I’ll try to be less stiff with you.” Lena says with a self-deprecating smile.

“You take your time, dear. I’ll be here.”

They stay in Midvale for two weeks, enjoying being well-fed and having the privacy of their own rooms. Eliza dotes on all of them, taking them shopping for some new clothes and refusing to accept Lena’s promises to pay her back.

“This is what family does, Lena.”

_Family._

It feels nice to lose herself in the comfort of Kara’s hometown. Kara takes her to see her old school, shows Lena where she had her first kiss and takes her for ‘t _he best ice cream in the state, Lena, you have to try it’._ Kara shows her how she used to sneak out her window and onto the roof, and they spend a night looking at the stars, Kara pointing out constellations and teaching Lena the stories behind them. They spend a few hours walking around the lake, and Kara points to where she fell through the ice and Alex dragged her out.

_“If it was a bit colder, I’d take you skating.”_

_“You’d take me skating on the same ice you fell through?”_

_“It’s not the **same** ice! It’s perfectly safe.”_

_“…you’re crazy.”_

_“Crazy about you, maybe.”_

When Alex finally suggests that they head back to New York the next day, Lena is almost as sad to leave as Eliza is to see them go. But they all have jobs to find, and Kara has been mentioning wanting to speak with Cat soon. Lena even finds that she misses the others – Winn and James, Lucy and Jess, even Clark and Lois. She’s gone from crippling loneliness to a life full of people who seem to like her, and she’s surprised at how easily she’s adapted to it.

Their last night is spent in the sitting room together, with glasses of wine and an album of photographs. Eliza reminisces and shows Maggie and Lena photos of their girlfriends as children and teenagers, most of them posed but with a few candid shots from their neighbour’s portable camera. Lena giggles at Kara’s bright smile and glasses, slightly too big for her face beck then, and Alex’s grumpy 15-year-old scowl.

“Not much has changed,” Lena notes.

“I was an angsty kid, so sue me.”

“It’s okay, babe, I like your scowl.” Maggie kisses Alex’s shoulder, laughing as the glare in question makes an appearance.

“Don’t let her badass exterior fool you, she’s the biggest softie I know.” Kara says, nudging Alex with her toes. Alex smiles affectionately in response, tickling Kara’s feet until she squeals and pulls them back, giggling. She settles back on the couch and lays her head in Lena’s lap.

“I wish I could see pictures of you when you were younger, Lena.”

Lena snorts. “I don’t think there are any. Lillian had a few paintings commissioned – Lex and I in stiff clothes, trying to look regal. But she wasn’t one for photography.”

“And there’s none from before you were adopted?” Maggie asks, her fingers running through Alex’s short hair as she drifts to sleep on Maggie’s shoulder.

“No idea. I think our things were given away, when I was adopted. I wasn’t allowed to keep much. I don’t even know who my real father was, to be honest.” Lena thinks of the music box that sunk with the Titanic, and her chest aches slightly. The ache eases a bit as Kara nuzzles Lena’s thigh, and Eliza pats her hand with a smile.

“Well, before you leave tomorrow I’ll go ask to borrow that camera again. We’ll take a family picture for the album.”

When they board the train (with significantly more baggage than before), Eliza hugs Lena tightly.

“Take care of Kara for me.”

Lena laughs lightly as she pulls away. “I think it’s the other way around, honestly.”

“Well, take care of each other. All of you.”

As the train pulls away from the station and speeds back towards New York, Lena takes Kara’s hand tightly in hers. Kara kisses her fingers, and her lips are warm.

“We’ll be home soon.”

“I’m always home, with you.” Lena says quietly, and Kara’s brilliant, surprised smile is everything she needs. She leans her head on Kara’s shoulder. It's true - she's never felt like she belonged anywhere, before this. Now, she knows that she belongs here, with Kara's hand in hers.

The warmth of that home stays with her until she falls asleep, safe in Kara’s arms.


	2. The Incident

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I feel like this…might be a bad idea…” Kara gasps as Lena’s hands move from the collar of her shirt to the buttons. Lena smiles into the kiss.
> 
> “It’s absolutely a bad idea. Do you want me to stop?”
> 
> “Don’t you dare.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lovely Penny/jellylikekelly asked to see a quick flashback to The Incident where Lena and Kara get caught by Lucy gettin’ it on in the den, so here it is! Hope you like it ;)

**April, 1912**

 

“What do you think?”

Kara tears her eyes away from the display of practical men’s clothing, turning towards Lena’s voice.

“Oh! It’s, um. Big?”

The dress in question hangs off of Lena, with a too-loose bodice and a puffy skirt. She huffs, pulling at the thick fabric unhappily. "I know. I'm not used to shopping for clothes."

Across the shop, Lucy laughs. "I guess you don't need to know how to shop when all your clothes are made to order, huh?"

Kara rolls her eyes. "Yes, yes, Lucy, Lena was rich. Can you help her, please? I don't know much more about buying women's clothing than she does."

"Hold your horses. I'll get Lois and Jess." Lucy disappears into the racks and Lena sits on a nearby bench, sighing.

"She's right, you know. I'm completely useless. I've had things done for me my whole life - I don't even know how to pick a simple dress."

Kara sits beside her, rubbing her back consolingly. "You're still learning, Lena! You're trying, and that's what matters. Don't be so hard on yourself. We're here to help you."

While Kara isn’t a huge fan of shopping either, the trip is necessary. They all lost everything they owned (not that they had much to begin with), and the clothes that Kara, Maggie, and Alex’s were wearing when they arrived are all stained with blood. They've all been wearing the same clothes for almost a week, and while she's intensely grateful for the option, she can't continue wearing Clark's too-big shirts forever. Lena needs clothes even more than Kara does - Lucy and Jess can wear some of Lois' clothes, but Lena is curvy where Lois is lean and the fit isn't comfortable.

Thankfully, Lois had readily offered to lend them each money to buy an outfit that can get them by until they find jobs of their own. Maggie and Alex chose their own in less than 10 minutes, and left to go for a walk over an hour ago. James and Winn had similarly finished their shopping quickly and left together, and now Kara is left with Lucy and Jess, who are idly trying on silly outfits for entertainment, and Lena, who looks terribly dejected.

Just then Jess comes bustling around the corner, carrying three simple dresses in plain colours. Lena glances at the pile fearfully, clearly already fed up with her first shopping experience.

"I think you're trying too hard, Lena. You need something simple. Try these on." Jess says, holding them out to her with a flourish. Lena takes the dresses forlornly and marches back into the changing rooms with the air of someone heading to their own funeral. Kara follows, leaning against the nearby wall as Lena changes.

A few minutes later the wooden door squeaks as Lena emerges again, and Kara turns to take in an entirely different sight.

The new dress is _so_ much better. Lena actually looks comfortable in it, and Jess chose the measurements perfectly. The dark red material flares out as Lena twirls, a small smile on her face. 

“That’s…wow, Lena. You look _great_.”

Lena laughs, swishing the fabric back and forth playfully. “It’s probably the plainest dress I’ve ever worn. You’ve seen me in much nicer things.”

“You’re beautiful all the time. You don’t need a fancy dress.” Kara can’t help but reach out to touch. She’s relieved to find that Lena has taken off the corset she had underneath the last frilly dress – she can feel soft curves under her hands.

“That’s a true compliment, coming from someone who has seen me naked.” Lena says in a low voice, and Kara’s face flames. She looks behind her worriedly, but Lucy and Jess are nowhere to be seen.

“Could you help me with the fastenings? They’re hard to reach.” There’s a sparkle in Lena’s eye as she pulls Kara into the changing room with her. Kara can’t do anything but follow. The moment the door closes and latches behind them, Lena’s lips are on hers, soft and insistent.

Kara sighs in relief at the contact. It’s technically only been just over a week since she and Lena connected in the car on the Titanic, but it feels like a lifetime. Every nerve ending sings as Lena pulls her close, hands fisting in her shirt. Their hips slot together easily, Lena’s lithe body pinning her to the door.

“I feel like this…might be a bad idea…” Kara gasps as Lena’s hands move from the collar of her shirt to the buttons. Lena smiles into the kiss.

“It’s absolutely a bad idea. Do you want me to stop?”

“Don’t you dare.”

Kara spins them around, pushing Lena against the door and hiking her skirt up to slot a thigh between her legs. Lena arches into it, gasping quietly.

“Please – don’t tease –“

Kara cuts her off with another kiss, pulling one leg to hook around her waist and slipping her hand between them to cup Lena through her underwear. She can feel how wet Lena is already, she’s biting Kara’s shoulder to keep quiet and her hips are stuttering, and –

A few rapid knocks sound on the door behind her, and Lena pushes her away so hard that she almost hits the opposite wall.

_“Fuck!”_

“Do you need anything, Miss Dawson? Another size, perhaps?”

Of all the times for the previously-unfindable changing room attendant to pop up, this is the worst possible scenario.

“No! No, I’m fine.” Lena’s voice is high and tense, her chest rising and falling rapidly. “I’m just…changing.” She winces as she says it, fully aware of her own awkwardness.

“Okay, just let me know!” The woman says cheerfully, and they hear the clicking of her shoes as she walks away. For a few moments they’re silent, staring at each other - Kara feels the ridiculousness of the situation rising inside her until she can’t stop the snort from escaping, followed by a stifled chuckle. Lena smiles too, and then they’re both laughing so hard that Kara has to slide down the wall to sit on the carpet. Lena moves to sit beside her, gasping through the giggles and leaning her head on Kara’s shoulder.

“Oh my god.” Kara says as they calm down, wiping moisture from her eyes. “That was…mortifying.”

“I’m sorry I pushed you away like that.” Lena replies, taking her hand. “It was sort of instinctual. I felt like I was 18 again, getting caught making out with a friend from boarding school.”

Kara laughs. “The situation was disturbingly similar. I’ve never done it in a public place like this before.”

“I’m sorry for pouncing on you, as well.” Lena sighs.

“It’s okay. To be honest, I liked it. I really wish we hadn’t gotten interrupted.” Lena looks up at her with surprised eyes, brow furrowed in thought.

“Really?”

“Really. Come on, let’s get you back into your other clothes so we can buy you this dress. I’m liking it more and more.”

Kara spends the rest of the day somewhat dazed. They buy the dress and head back to the apartment, Lena still getting used to using public transport. She’s tense, keyed up, and she keeps drifting away from the conversation, distracted by memories – Lena naked and on top of her, losing control as she moves her hips wildly in the back of a car. Lena arching onto Kara’s eager tongue, the taste of her as she bites her own arm to keep quiet. Lena looking up from between Kara’s thighs, looking nervous but enthusiastic. Lena refusing to let Kara’s hips move away from her mouth after two orgasms, burying her face in Kara’s centre again and urging her to let go for a third time.

She jumps slightly as real-life Lena puts a hand on her arm, looking at her in concern.

“Are you all right?”

“Oh, yeah. I’m fine. Totally fine.” God, Lena can probably smell it on her. Kara shifts in her seat uncomfortably and Lena’s eyes dart down and back up again, her eyes narrowing slightly.

“If you’re sure.” There’s something behind the small smile on Lena’s face, and Kara tries to put it out of her mind as she repeats a mantra of thoroughly un-erotic things in her head to calm down.

It doesn’t work.

To make things worse, it’s James and Winn’s turn to sleep in the bedroom, so everyone else is stuck together in the open den. Jess takes the couch on Lucy’s insistence while Kara and Lena cuddle together on the floor, Maggie and Alex dragging their blankets over to the opposite corner.

Over an hour later, Kara is still alert and trying very hard not to fidget.

“Kara? Are you awake?” Lena whispers, turning a bit in her arms.

“Yeah, are you okay?”

Lena shifts until they’re face to face, sighing in frustration. Her huffed exhale makes Kara’s hair flutter.

“I’m fine. I’m just…restless.”

“Okay. Can I help?” Kara rubs up and down Lena’s bare arms comfortingly. Maybe Lena needs a cuddle, or a back rub, or maybe for Kara to sing a bit – she seemed to find it soothing when they were on the Carpathia. Kara opens her mouth to offer, but suddenly Lena is shifting on top of her and a curtain of dark hair surrounds them and a hot mouth is on her neck and nails are scratching down her stomach and…

_Oh._

“L-Lena?”

“Shh. You’ll wake someone up.” Lena’s voice is teasing, low, almost a purr. Over near the couch, someone shifts in their sleep, and Kara’s heart pounds.

God, she wants this. She wants it so badly, but the thought of getting caught is much less exciting here where her sister is sleeping on the other side of the room than it was in a dress store full of faceless strangers. But Kara has been thinking about this all day – for several days, in fact - and Lena clearly needs it. Besides, her hands are soft and her fingers are sliding under Kara’s shirt to play with her nipples and honestly Kara would be willing to do just about anything when Lena’s teeth are scraping her pulse point like that.

“Is this okay?” Lena toys with the waistband of Kara’s pants, her soft fingertips making Kara’s skin tingle.

_I should tell her to stop. Someone could hear. Anyone could still be awake._

Kara opens her mouth to say just that, but what comes out is the opposite.

“We – have to be really quiet.” Kara chokes out, and she feels Lena’s smile against her skin. Immediately Lena’s hand slides down, toying with the coarse hair between Kara’s legs and making her gasp. Kara’s legs fall open without hesitation, and Lena slides Kara’s shirt up to bunch under her chin, swirling that hot, wicked tongue until Kara is squirming and panting.

“Shhh…” Lena whispers against the skin of Kara’s chest, her white teeth flashing in the half-light as she nips her way back up to Kara’s mouth. Kara accepts her kiss gratefully, hoping it will muffle the noises she can’t seem to keep inside.

Lena’s fingers dip down to slip over the wet, swollen core of her, and Kara’s toes curl.

Lena seems just as far gone. She groans as she feels just how worked up Kara has been all day, and she has to bury her face in Kara’s neck to muffle her sharp breaths. Lena’s hand is down Kara’s pants, so close to slipping inside her, and Kara’s other hand making its way into Lena’s nightgown to return the favour when there’s a muffled moan across the room.

Kara freezes and looks over at what she can now see is a slightly moving mass of blankets where Alex and Maggie went to sleep.

_No…_

Lena distracts her with a kiss and another wet pass of her fingers, and Kara relaxes for a second until she hears another soft noise and a voice.

“Shhh, Alex, you gotta be quiet…”

_Oh god, **no!**_

“Oh my god – oh my god, Lena, stop, Alex is – she and Maggie are –“ Kara hisses, pushing Lena’s hand away, and the moving blankets across the room freeze. Lena huffs quietly.

“Doing the same thing we are? They’ll hear us too if you keep talking.”

“Well – that’s different! My _sister_ is –“

To Kara's dismay, a new voice rings out.

“Oh my GOD.” Lucy sits upright suddenly, cutting through their frantic whispers and throwing her pillow at Kara and Lena.

“That’s it. Couples, can we _please_ not fuck in the _communal sleeping space_.”

There’s a squawk from Alex and Maggie’s direction, and a flurry of activity as they try to break apart and act casual. Lena immediately rolls off of Kara and pulls the blankets over her head, mortified. Kara frantically pulls her shirt back down over her chest, throwing the pillow back. Lucy ducks it and it hits Jess’ sleeping form on the couch. Poor, innocent Jess groans and rubs her eyes, looking around in confusion.

“What’s going on?”

 _“Nothing!”_ Lena yells, her voice muffled by blankets. “It’s nothing, Jess!”

Lucy points accusingly at both couples. “ _They_ were simultaneously defiling the living room –“

Kara and Alex start speaking at the same time.

“We weren’t – _defiling_ –“

“You didn’t even notice until –“ They both stop, looking at each other with palpable horror.

Maggie surreptitiously wipes her hand on the blanket, and Kara feels a part of herself die. She falls back into the pillows, pulling one over her face.

“Oh my god, that’s it. No more sex, ever again.” Next to her, Lena groans and curls into a ball under the blanket.

“Amen to that.” Lucy grumbles, laying back down and pointedly turning her back to them. Jess just chuckles, settling back and reaching an arm down to pat Lucy’s arm consolingly.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Lena pulls the blanket back down and stares at the ceiling, her face still noticeably hot.

“I’m sorry.” Kara whispers. Lena takes a deep breath.

“It’s not your fault. I started it.” There’s a pause, and Lena sighs. “I just…remember that night, when we were together, in the car? I wanted to feel that way again.”

Of course Kara remembers. She hasn’t stopped thinking about the sounds Lena made, how she tasted, her soft skin and perfect curves and the way Lena’s elegant fingers curled so sweetly inside her that she felt she might die from the pleasure of it.

“How could I forget?” Kara shifts and Lena curls into her side, twining their legs together and laying a cheek on Kara’s chest. “Somehow, that managed to be both the best and worst night of my life.”

Lena traces idle patterns over Kara’s belly under her shirt. “I know what you mean.”

“Let’s just try to sleep, okay? Maybe soon we’ll find a way to get some privacy.”

“Okay.”

It’s almost 2am before Kara manages to drift off, still trying to wipe the mortification from her memory.

 

The next morning (after spending breakfast studiously avoiding eye contact with Alex), the apartment empties slowly. Winn and James decide to go look into getting jobs at the docks. Lois and Clark both head to Catco, and Alex pulls a smirking Maggie out the door, mumbling that they needed ‘fresh air’.

Let it never be said that Kara doesn’t seize oppourtunity when it strikes.

Lena is reading one of Lois’ many books in the window seat and Lucy is using a well-worn deck of cards to teach Jess how to play Solitaire in the kitchen, and Kara takes the risk. Lucy and Jess don’t even look up as Kara grabs Lena’s hand and leads her to the empty guest bedroom.

“Kara, what –“

Kara closes the door and pulls Lena into a kiss, smiling as Lena melts into it immediately. She starts to walk them back towards the bed, but Lena stops her with a hand on her chest.

“The bed squeaks, remember?”

It's true - whoever sleeps in the living room has to put up with hearing the screeching of bedsprings every time someone so much as shifts in the guest bedroom. Kara nods, already spinning back around to pin Lena to the door. It doesn’t have a lock, and she’ll be damned if Lucy is barging in on her again.

She’s reaching around to try to unfasten Lena’s dress when Lena raises a knee up, and Kara grabs it out of instinct. Lena grabs her free hand, slips it under her dress, and guides Kara’s fingers directly inside her with a shaky gasp.

“We have to be fast, I’m so wet already, Kara, please –“

Immediately Kara’s fingers are moving and Lena chokes off a moan, her forehead falling to Kara’s shoulder. They’re both fully clothed but Lena is tight and pulsing around her fingers, and it’s a matter of minutes before she’s coming, muffling her cries with her own hand. Her leg slides back to the floor, and she lets out a huge breath, smiling lazily at Kara, who feels a warmth blooming in her chest.

_I want to keep doing that forever._

Lena is still glassy-eyed with pleasure when she spins around, drops to her knees, and starts pulling Kara’s pants and underwear down in one go. They tangle around Kara’s ankles and she guides her until she’s stepped out of them with one foot. This is a bad idea and Kara knows it, they were pushing their luck a few minutes ago and now they’re probably seconds away from the others wondering where they are. They should stop. She should pull her pants back up, and they should go out to the kitchen and play cards with Lucy and Jess.

Then her thigh is over Lena’s shoulder and a mouth is on her clit and Kara’s head hits the wall with a thump, her hand shooting down to tangle in Lena’s hair.

“Lena…Lena, we don’t have tiiii- _fuck._ ” Lena swirls her tongue and sinks two fingers inside to the knuckle and Kara could cry at how good it feels. The pace is fast and insistent, and the relentless sensation combined with the visual of Lena kneeling in front of her, looking up at her with intense green eyes almost eclipsed by black, is enough to have her hovering on the razor’s edge in an embarrassingly short time. Lena pulls her mouth back slightly and Kara can see the slick movement of her tongue working against her clit, can see Lena’s mouth full of her wetness and the slight, smug smile on her face and it’s too much - she’s tipping over, her whole body locking up and freeing itself in one moment –

Three loud knocks sound on the door behind her, and Kara almost screams in disbelief.

“Hey Kara, we’re going to go grab some groceries, are you busy?”

_“Coming!”_

And she is - despite the interruption she’s still coming hard in Lena’s mouth, with no sign of slowing down. It feels perfect, besides the fact that Lucy is on the other side of the door. Her head tips back again as it tapers off into aftershocks, and then Lena is stifling her laughter in Kara’s thigh as she gasps for air, feeling the relief seep into her bones.

_Finally._

Lucy sounds perturbed as she jiggles the handle, but Kara’s now-limp body keeps the door shut.

“Okay, weirdo, calm down - wait. Where’s Lena?”

Lena’s bark of laughter can’t be muffled, and Lucy’s dawning horror can practically be felt through the inches of wood between them.

“Oh, guys, COME _ON_.”


	3. Game Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before Lena can retort, Kara intervenes. “How about we all play something else? Maybe we’ll even find something Lena isn’t good at.” 
> 
> “Unlikely.” Winn mutters under his breath, and Lena smiles proudly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MY SWEET TITANIC CHILDREN ARE BACK. It’s been approximately 84 years (aka like 3 months) since I updated this, so it’s about time. I'm going to try to update it fairly regularly, now.

**June, 1912**

 

“Checkmate.”

Winn sighs, knocking over his King piece dramatically. “Okay, why do we even bother playing with you anymore? You’re too good.”

Lena grins, starting to set the board back up and turning slightly pink at the compliment.

“It’s not my fault that none of you are good at chess.”

James laughs, putting a comforting arm over Winn’s shoulders as Winn bristles.

“I’m great at chess! You’re just some sort of…weird…chess prodigy.”

“Great insult, Winn.” Lucy teases, pouring popcorn from a pan into a bowl in the kitchen and sprinkling it liberally with salt. “I’m sure Lena is devastated.”

“Well, Lena sucked my brain out through my ears with her dumb strategy skills. How is it that you can think, like, five steps ahead of everyone else?”

Before Lena can retort, Kara intervenes. “How about we all play something else? Maybe we’ll even find something Lena isn’t good at.”

“Unlikely.” Winn mutters under his breath, and Lena smiles proudly.

“We’ve got a deck of cards. Anyone want to play Rummy?” Jess asks, holding up the deck. Everyone nods congenially, and they settle into a rough circle around the coffee table. Winn sighs, settling in next to James.

“Okay, I’m in. If only to defend my honour after losing 6 straight games of chess.”

Lena smirks, taking the deck from Jess and shuffling it expertly. “Well, I’ve never played Rummy. Go easy one me?” The cards dance in her hands, and Winn huffs good-naturedly, seeing his future defeat reflected in Lena’s amused face.

Four games of Rummy and three bowls of popcorn later, Winn’s dignity is out the window and Lena is forcibly evicted from the game, laughing hysterically.

“Give the rest of us a chance, Miss Genius!” Lucy yells as Lena takes refuge behind Kara, ducking out of the way of two separate pillows thrown at her after she put her cards down with an apologetic grin a few seconds ago. The pillows hit Kara in the face instead, and she almost tips over with the force.

“Hey! Don’t hit me, I’m not the game-winning genius!” Lena just stays ducked behind her, giggling adorably. She agrees to sit the next game out, and instead curls up with her head in Kara’s lap, looking up at her affectionately.

It’s astounding to Kara how much Lena has progressed in just a few short months. When they first settled in here, Lena had still been guarded with everyone but Kara and occasionally Alex – she had kept mostly to herself, reading or sitting curled into Kara and mostly quiet during social evenings. Now she’s open and laughing, looking at Kara with undisguised love as her friends ban her from playing games because she’s too smart. She spends time with everyone else even without Kara there – Kara thinks that she’s truly letting herself consider them her family, too, and it makes her glow with pride.

Lucy stuffs a handful of popcorn in her mouth, putting her feet up and studying her new hand of cards.

“All right. Now that the Game Queen has retired, you bitches are going down.”

She loses to Jess in the end, and surprisingly, she cedes the victory with a smile.

 

* * *

 

“Bridge!”

“You don’t need to yell ‘bridge’ every time you win, Lucy.” Alex huffs, setting down her cards.

“Oh, Alex, don’t be a sore loser.” James starts collecting the cards now strewn across the table, shuffling them slowly.

“I bet you wish you hadn’t banned me from playing games now, hmm? At least I don’t gloat.” Lena calls from her place on the couch, cuddled into Kara’s side. Kara just laughs, continuing her idle Cat’s Cradle. Lena has been teaching her how to make various shapes with the string, and thus far she’s not very good at it.

“I’m not gloating! It’s called the thrill of victory.”

“Well, I want to switch partners.” Alex grumbles.

“Hey!” Maggie protests, crossing her arms. “It’s not my fault you’re bad at bridge!”

“Alex is bad at most games. She’s crafty, but she’s too impatient.” Kara frowns, her fingers tangled hopelessly in the yarn, and Lena gently plucks at it until Kara’s hands are in the right position again. She looks up from her now-correct fingers to grin at her cat’s cradle saviour, and over her shoulder she sees Winn approach James from behind with two steaming mugs of tea. He hands one to James, and then gently trails his fingers over the back of James’ neck.

Kara frowns. _Strange._ She’s never pegged James or Winn as affectionate friends, and this is yet another thing about their relationship that’s been tugging at the back of her brain lately. But then the door opens noisily and Clark enters the apartment, putting down his briefcase and taking off his coat and hat.

“Evening, freeloaders!” He jokes, heading to the kitchen to peck Lois on the cheek as she stirs a tray of some roasted vegetables. “Has everyone left my wife to fend for herself in the kitchen?”

“Hey!” Winn protests from his spot on the chaise lounge. “We all helped with prep! She’s doing the easy part!”

“Right.” Clark drawls, loosening and removing his tie.

Kara thinks to the card still hidden safely in the small box containing hers and Lena’s belongings, and a spike of worry interrupts the pleasant evening. She knows that she needs to contact Cat Grant. Here in New York, with Alex settling down and her new relationship with Lena, she can’t keep living the way she had been – a tumbleweed existence. Cat has offered her something, and she needs to muster her courage and take it.

Lena gently takes the yarn from Kara’s fingers, easily looping and twisting it until it makes an intricate pattern. Her brow furrows with concentration, her tongue peeking out adorably. The others keep arguing over their game, and Clark helps Lois start putting dinner onto plates, and the apartment is warm and cozy and full of friendly voices. For the first time since she first left Midvale, Kara really feels at home.

With a newfound sense of purpose, Kara decides _. I need to start paying them back._

 

* * *

 

 

“Kara, Cat specifically asked you to come to her.”

Kara sighs, fiddling with the card between her fingers. The motion flutters the wispy bits of hair that have come free from her ponytail, and she blows them back out of her face impatiently. “I know. I just – what if I go and she decides she doesn’t want me? Or, I mess it up somehow? All I’ve done is draw and live on the streets for the last 4 years, Lena. I’m not Clark – I can’t work at a newspaper.”

Lena sighs, rubbing Kara’s arm. She rests her chin on Kara’s shoulder, and the weight of it grounds her.

“You’ll never know if you don’t try. Besides, I don’t think Cat Grant would have personally sought you out if she didn’t believe in you.”

“What do you think she wants me to do?”

Lena shrugs. “I have no idea. But I imagine she won’t give you anything you aren’t ready for. She’s a pretty exceptional judge of character.”

“Yeah.” Kara nods, but her guts still churn with anxiety. If she’s being honest, she’s been putting this off for weeks, but she really can’t anymore. Lucy is looking into law school and has already found a room in a ladies’ boarding house, a few doors down from Jess, who is paying her rent by working as a maid there; James and Winn have found jobs and an apartment together, and they’re moving out next week. Maggie is gearing up for training to become a police officer, and Alex is applying for med schools. They’re apartment-hunting too, and Kara knows that she and Lena need to get out of Clark’s hair soon - and they can’t do that until one of them gets a job. Besides, Lena deserves to go to school, and she can’t do it until they have some income.

“Do you need me to come with you?” Lena asks softly, without judgement. Kara appreciates the sentiment, but she shakes her head.

“No. I think I need to go by myself.”

Three hours later, she’s standing outside the towering Catco building and feeling extremely underdressed as men and women in crisp suits and bright skirts and jackets bustle past her. She’s never been this close to such a large building before – she and Lena have explored New York and seen some of the fancy architecture, but this is her first time in the financial district, and it makes her feel insignificant. Taking a deep, bracing breath, she pushes the glass doors open and enters the lobby.

The lobby is, while one of the nicest places Kara has ever set foot in, not overly opulent. The ceilings are high, hung with pretty but sensible electric chandeliers, and the marble floor echoes with the clacking of heels and the tapping of leather oxfords. There’s an extensive wooden desk with a receptionist behind it, a young but competent-looking woman, and Kara relaxes slightly. She can’t be any older than 19, and she has a smile on her face as she directs someone towards the elevators.

_At least she looks nice._

Making her way to the desk, Kara fidgets slightly as the woman takes her seat again, gesturing for Kara to wait a moment as she takes a call from the telephone on her desk. When she finishes she straightens her skirt and smiles at Kara, her face genuine if a bit tired.

“Can I help you, Miss?”

“Uh…yes.” Kara says, taking the card Cat gave her out of her pocket. “I’m here to see Cat Grant?”

“Lovely. Do you have an appointment?” She chirps, taking out a leather-bound date book and looking up at Kara expectantly.

“Oh! Um. No?” Kara stumbles, wincing. “I think maybe she’s expecting me? I didn’t know – should I make an appointment?”

The receptionist looks perplexed, looking down at her book and flipping a few pages. “Expecting you? What’s your name?”

“Kara Danvers?” Kara says, her heart in her throat.

The look clears from the woman’s face, and she smiles. “Oh, Miss Danvers! Miss Grant has been wondering when you’d arrive. I’ll call her, just a moment.”

_She has a direct line from her office? Ritzy._

Kara waits while the receptionist spins a few numbers on the dial and assumedly announces her arrival to Cat, drumming her fingers nervously on the desk. Finally she hangs up, and stands from her chair.

“I’ll bring you up to her office, Miss Danvers. If you’ll follow me?” She puts a tiny ‘be back soon’ sign out on her desk, and gestures for Kara to follow her towards the elevator bank. “I’m Eve, by the way. Eve Tessmacher.”

“Nice to meet you, Eve.” Kara shakes her hand, feeling a bit more at ease that she won’t have to navigate this unthinkably huge building by herself. They step into a wood-paneled elevator car, and Eve instructs the attendant to take them to the top floor. As they slowly rise, Kara starts tapping her foot, feeling a bit uncomfortable in the constricted space.

“Are you all right?” Eve asks, looking concerned. Kara musters a smile.

“I’m fine. Just – don’t think I’ve ever been this high up before.” She _can_ think of one other time – clinging to the back railing of the Titanic as it rose above the water, dozens of storeys or more into the air and sinking at a faster and faster rate until –

Kara shakes her head, jolting herself out of the memory. Eve smiles sympathetically.

“It is strange, but you’ll get used to it. I remember my first few rides to the top; I almost fainted when I saw the view.”

Ad indeed, when Eve opens the door to Cat’s office and Kara gets a glimpse of the city through the large windows, she feels a bit faint. It feels like she can see the whole city from here. Her eyes are drawn from the view as the large, high-backed chair behind the desk swivels, and seated in it is Cat Grant herself.

“Miss Danvers. I was beginning to get impatient.” Cat says, eyebrows raised and a small smile on her face.

“Well, I – you said to take my time, so –“

Cat waves a hand, banishing Kara’s stuttering like smoke. “No matter. You’re here now. I told you I wanted to hire you, and I intend to.” Standing up, she makes her way around the desk to lean on the edge, crossing her arms. Kara shifts slightly from foot to foot, the scratchy fabric of her wool pants rubbing on her calves. Cat is dressed in silk and chiffon, a picture of well-put-together, and Kara can feel herself sweating under her cheap cotton shirt.

“For what?”

“I want you to be a reporter.”

Kara blinks a few times, opening her mouth soundlessly.

_A reporter? Like Clark?_

“Uh…why?” She manages to ask incredulously, and Cat chuckles.

“My reasons are my own. Do you want the job, or not?”

“Miss Grant, I think you have the wrong person. I’m not my cousin, I’m an artist, I don’t –“

“The world is changing, Miss Danvers.” Cat interrupts, tapping her fingers on her folded arms. “The Titanic was just one of many events that are going to shake our society, I can guarantee you that. My question is, do you want to be leading the change? _Making_ the change? Or do you want to sit back and let others do it for you?”

Kara gapes for a moment, shaking her head. “I – I do. I do want to help people. But…a reporter?”

Cat nods. Her gaze is piercing, and Kara can tell she’s being evaluated, just like she was when she and Cat first met on the deck of the Titanic. “You see into the truth of things, Miss Danvers. You’re kind, you’re relatable, and people of all backgrounds find you palatable. I don’t need more half-cocked reporters who think that a trust-funded NYU degree makes them qualified to write front-page news. Even your cousin, for all his charm, has trouble getting less privileged sources to talk to him.”

“I haven’t written anything since I was in high-school!”

“That can be taught.” Cat waves her concern off again, leaving her place against the desk to walk to a side table and pour herself a finger of some amber liquor. She offers a glass to Kara, who takes it and swallows it in a mouthful – it turns out to be brandy, and she coughs at the taste. Cat smiles knowingly, sipping her own.

“I want you because you have a quality that _can’t_ be taught. And besides that, you have an eye for aesthetics that I think we can use in our new magazine. We’re branching out from newspapers.”

Kara takes a deep breath. She breaks away from Cat’s intense stare, walking to the window and resting her hands on the ledge. Cat is right – being a reporter could help people. She could seek out injustices, and reveal it to the public. Let people know the truth of disasters like the Titanic, bring the people responsible to justice. Living the way she has for the last few years, she’s seen every bad thing that can happen to someone who doesn’t have the privilege of the upper class, and nowhere is it more concentrated than New York. Looking out over the city, she feels small – one tiny person in an ocean of suffering.

_I could help._

“Well?” Cat asks, as if she can tell that Kara has come to a decision. “What do you say?”

“Okay. I’ll take it.”

Kara turns, and Cat is smiling victoriously. She sits back down in her chair, pulling a few papers towards herself. “Wonderful. Come into work with your cousin next Monday, and we’ll see about getting you trained and on the job.”

It’s a clear dismissal, and Kara takes it as such. She turns to leave, but before she closes the office door she stops and turns back.

“Miss Grant?”

“Hmm?” Cat is already in another world, glasses perched on her face and several documents open on her desk.

“Thank you.”

When she makes her way back to the elevators she doesn’t see Cat’s warm smile, hidden quickly as she gets back to work, but she can feel it.

 

* * *

 

 

Clark, upon hearing the news that Kara is now employed and will soon be able to move out and, on top of that, is going to be working with him, buys two bottles of champagne.

They pop them over the weekend, after they’ve all helped Winn and James move their few belongings into their new apartment. Sitting in a haphazard circle on the floor of the empty living room, cushioned with some blankets and pillows, they drink it out of paper cups and mismatched mugs. They toast to Winn and James’ new place, to Kara’s new job, and to Lucy finally applying to Columbia.

Winn makes some popcorn on the stove, and Maggie pulls out two decks of playing cards.

“What can we play with this many people?” Alex asks, her head pillowed in Maggie’s lap.

“Go fish?” James suggests, and Lucy throws a crumped paper cup at him.

“What are we, 12?”

“How about crazy eights?” Jess adds, and they all agree genially. Even Lena ends up playing, lifting the game ban that went into effect the night she won five consecutive games of rummy. Kara, punch-drunk on bubbly and this new step in her life and Lena’s warm hand on her thigh, hardly pays attention. She just basks.

If it hadn’t been for Alex, she might not have ever put the pieces together.

“So, where’s the second bedroom?” Alex asks, frowning at her cards as the suit changes. James and Winn look at each other, and Kara notices that their shoulders are touching lightly.

“Second bedroom?” Winn responds, looking confused.

“Yeah. What is one of you going to sleep out here?” Alex jokes, passing on her turn. “I assumed there would be two bedrooms, since you’re sharing a place.”

“We…we’re going to be sleeping together.” James says slowly, as if Alex is being willfully obtuse, and the rest of the group abruptly stops playing. There’s a moment of silence as everyone struggles to process that, until Lucy finally breaks it.

“...wait. Wait, wait, oh my god. Are you two – are you _dating_?”

“Uh, yeah?” Winn says, nonplussed. “This is…our apartment.”

Everyone gapes at them, Maggie looking particularly thrown off.

“What?” James says defensively, moving closer to Winn.

“For how long?” Lois asks, laughing incredulously. “How did we not _know_ about this?”

“About 9 months now, right James?” Winn says casually, and on his other side Maggie explodes, the popcorn bowl upending all over the floor as she throws her hands up.

 _“Nine months?”_ She exclaims, throwing her cards down on the floor. “NINE MONTHS?”

Kara, the pieces finally clicking in her head, laughs. She tips her head back, remembering all the strange moments over the last few months. “We had no idea, you guys. You don’t act like a couple!”

“We’re private people.” Winn says grumpily, crossing his arms. James puts an arm around his shoulders – something he’s done a few times, but Kara had always passed off as a friendly gesture – and suddenly it seems so clear. “We don’t like PDA. Just because you girls air your love lives out like laundry doesn’t mean everyone does!”

“I’ve known you two for _three years_ , and you _didn’t think to tell me?!”_ Maggie continues, her voice raised. James raises his hands in surrender, grinning.

“We thought you knew!”

Lois puts her cards down too, realizing that the game is probably over as the group chews over this new information. “Jesus, is everyone in this group going to pair off?” She says, as Maggie continues to chew the boys out for their (supposedly accidental) secrecy.

“We’re like an incestuous little family.” Lucy replies, wiping a fake tear from her eye. Beside her, Jess grins as Lucy throws an arm around her. “We’re the only ones left, Jess, you know what that means!”

In the hubbub of the James-Winn revelation, Jess’ crimson blush goes mostly unnoticed.

Finally, everyone calms down enough to let the conversation drift to something besides Winn and James' not-so-new relationship, at least for a moment.

“With all of us working, or in school, or scattered across the city making love-nests,” Lucy says pointedly, looking at Winn and James, who grumble good-naturedly, “it’s going to be so strange not seeing each other all the time.”

“We have to make sure we spend time together.” Clark agrees, starting to fill everyone’s cups again with the last of the champagne. “Let’s make a pact – at least once a month, we all meet up and spend a night together.”

“A game night!” Kara says excitedly, and everyone nods. Raising her glass, she grins, her tipsyness shining through. “Once a month, we all meet up so Lena can kick our ass at games.”

Their mugs clink together, and the pact is made. Kara leans her head onto Lena’s shoulder as Maggie and Alex gather all the cards again, and Lucy calls out a request for strip poker, which Clark and Lois vehemently deny. James goes to make more popcorn, and Lena kisses the top of her head, and Kara feels a settled sort of contentment that she didn’t think she was capable of.

Her life is here now, and for the first time, the thought makes her feel warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a super short after such a long wait, I know, but this was plot stuff that I wanted out of the way and I got writer’s block and this is what came out. Besides, the next one will have smut, so you can look forward to that! I'll be trying to keep up with this fic a lot more, now that this chapter is done.

**Author's Note:**

> Come scream at me in the comments or on tumblr @jazzfordshire!


End file.
